13 May 2014

For A' That 43 | Tricky Business

Plenty of mischief afoot in the independence campaign. We took a look back over some of the events of the past week or two on episode number 43 of the For A' That podcast this weekend.

A couple of returning guests joined the regulars: Ivan McKee of independence-supporting Business for Scotland and Zambian aid worker, Ruaridh Waddell. Up for the gab, "common plan" challenges for organisations supporting a Yes vote: how are organisations like Business for Scotland, National Collective et al going to cope with the fairly strict funding rules set out in the referendum legislation? How can Yes Scotland avoid its budgets getting cannibalised by their excitable and active allies and fellow travellers?

After a thoroughly incompetent series of marches and countermarches, sallies and defences, the Confederation of British Industry finally managed to wrangle its way out of its registration with the Electoral Commission as a No supporting body, by arguing that the forms had been submitted by an unauthorised person. Although they're no longer "permitted participants", able to spend £150,000 in the last sixteen weeks of the campaign, what are the implications of the episode for the organisation's future participation in the constitutional debate?

As usual, you can listen to the show here, or on iTunes, or download
it to your device of choice for later consumption. There are also
plenty of other tracks which you can take a listen to through over at the show's homepage, including Michael's ScotIndyPod interviews
with a range of interesting characters, sharing their thoughts and
evolving sentiments on Scotland's constitutional future. Michael's latest guest was Ash Regan-Denham of the Reid Foundation and Women for Independence. Happy listening.

A coincidence! The commercial gleam just seemed apt, given the discussion of the CBI in the pod. Glad you;re glad to see it back. We've been a wee bit tied up with other things recently, as is the way.

“I think of him more of a long nosed, elegantly coiffed Afghan pawing through his leather bound library whilst disdainfully inhaling a puddle of Armagnac in an immense crystal snifter. If he can also lift his leg over his shoulder and lick his balls...” ~ Conan the Librarian™

“... the erudite and loquacious Peat Worrier who never knowingly avoids a prolix circumlocution.” ~Love and Garbage

“My initial mind picture was of a scanty bikini'd individual wallowing in a bath tub of peat. However I've since learned to warm to him, and like peat he's slow to draw but quick to heat...” ~Crinkly & Ragged Arsed Philosophers

Definition: "to worry peat" v.

"Peat worrying" is the little known or understood process for the extraction of cultural peat, practised primarily in the Lowlands of Scotland by aspirant urban rustics. Primary implements by means of which successful "worrying" is achieved include the traditional oxter-flaughter but also the sharp-edged kailyard and the innovative skirlie stramasher.